System and method for controlling communication in a multi-network environment

Abstract

A hierarchical communication system, arranged in a spanning tree configuration, is described in which wired and wireless communication networks exhibiting substantially different characteristics are employed in an overall scheme to link portable or mobile computing devices. Copies of data, program code and processing resources are migrated from their source toward requesting destinations based on request frequency, communication link costs and available local storage and/or processing resources. Each appropriately configured network device acts as an active participant in network migration. In addition, portable two-dimensional (2-D) code reading terminals are configured to wirelessly communicate compressed 2-D images toward stationary access servers that identify the code image through decoding and through comparison with a database of images that have previously been decoded and stored.

1 - 48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . A method for controlling communication among a plurality of wireless communication devices which use a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol, the method comprising:
 transmitting a message from a first communication device, the message enabling a sleep mode to be established by the first communication device on the first communication protocol, thereby avoiding collisions by the first communication protocol with the second communication protocol.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the sleep mode lasts for a predetermined number of time intervals. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein a first network operates according to the first communication protocol and a second network operates according to the second communication protocol. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the method comprises transmitting data, wherein transmitting the message occurs before transmitting data, thereby minimizing collisions during data transmission and reducing inefficiencies due to packet loss and retransmission time. 
     
     
         53 . A system for controlling communication among a plurality of wireless communication devices which use a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol, the system comprising:
 one or more circuits configured to transmit a message from a first communication device, the message enabling a sleep mode to be established by the first communication device on the first communication protocol, thereby avoiding collisions by the first communication protocol with the second communication protocol.   
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 53 , wherein the sleep mode lasts for a predetermined number of time intervals. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 53 , wherein a first network operates according to the first communication protocol and a second network operates according to the second communication protocol. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 53 , wherein the method comprises transmitting data, wherein transmitting the message occurs before transmitting data, thereby minimizing collisions during data transmission and reducing inefficiencies due to packet loss and retransmission time.